05/26/2026
Harris Institute alumnus Henry “CIRKUT” Walter won both the Grammy and Juno Awards for Producer of the Year, marking another milestone in an extraordinary career.
In a full-circle moment, the JUNO Award is named after legendary Canadian producer Jack Richardson, who taught Walter “Production Applications” at Harris Institute in 2006. Richardson taught at the college for 16 years and remains one of Canada’s most celebrated music producers.
“It is thrilling to see a former student achieving their dreams,” says John Harris, president of Harris Institute. “Our remarkable faculty are proud to have contributed to Henry’s success.”
Walter’s JUNO win follows a massive year internationally. He also received three GRAMMY Awards, including Producer of the Year, for his work on projects by Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars and ROSÉ, and The Weeknd. In total, Walter earned seven GRAMMY nominations this year, adding to his 2018 GRAMMY win for Starboy and his 2014 JUNO Award for Producer of the Year
With ten #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, Walter is currently ranked #3 on Billboard’s “Top Producers of the 21st Century.”
Harris Institute continues to deliver exceptional outcomes for students. For the second consecutive year, every graduate from the Arts Management Program secured employment in their field of study, according to official reports from Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges and Universities. In addition, for the first time in the institution’s 36-year history, 100% of graduates earned honours, achieving averages above 80% across 54 courses.
The college has also achieved a 0% Student Loan Default Rate 16 times — an accomplishment that is exceptionally rare among post-secondary institutions in Canada and the United States.
Harris Institute was named the “Best School of its Kind” for seven consecutive years by the Media Arts Education Report. Other schools included in the report are Toronto Metropolitan University, Humber College and Metalworks Institute. Harris Institute has also been featured in Billboard’s “Top 11 Schools” and Mix magazine’s “Audio Education’s Finest.”
Students can launch careers in the music industry through intensive programs including the 12-month Audio Production Program (APP), Arts Management Program (AMP), and the 20-month Music Business Professional (MBP) program. Students learn directly from award-winning industry leaders through hands-on master classes.
New programs begin in November, March, and July.
For more information, visit www.harrisinstitute.com
